1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to an adapter for attaching an electronic shelf label to a blister hook.
2. Description of Related Art
Electronic shelf labels, for which the previously mentioned adapter is intended, are part of an electronic price tagging and product indicating system such as is used in modern self-service establishments. It enables, through the use of wireless infrared technology or the like, to tag and change prices and to indicate products in the direct vicinity of the goods by pushbutton operation from a central location. The most important elements of such an electronic price tagging and product indicating system are a PC and the software installed on it, a base station, transceivers, and the modules for indicating the price and/or product, which can be narrow electronic shelf labels (ESLs) or electronic price cassettes (EPCs). Narrow electronic shelf labels (ESLs), for which the adapter initially referred to is particularly intended, are provided for fixing to shelf retainer strips in the shelf area or to perforated-wall hooks, referred to as blister hooks (hooks for holding blister packs). By contrast, electronic price cassettes (EPCs) are typically inserted in display cassettes of modular construction (counter tagging, fruit and vegetables, drinks). The software saves the articles in the internal database and forwards price or product changes to the electronic shelf labels via base station and transceivers.
An adapter of the type initially referred to and a narrow electronic shelf label are known, for example, from the 2000/2001 Tagging Systems Catalog, page 54, by Checkpoint/Meto of 69431 Hirschhorn. The known adapter is provided with a device designed to improve the readability at various heights. This device is comprised of a fan-type member that is pivotally mounted on the rear side of the housing and has on its circumference three steps at radially different heights for abutting engagement with the cantilever of a blister hook. Depending on which of these steps the cantilever of the blister hook comes to rest on, there is a maximum of only three different angles between the housing and the cantilever for viewing the display in three different viewing directions. Furthermore, the suspension device on the known adapter is comprised of two socket-type sliders, which on their lower side have a full-length groove open in downward direction. These sliders are pushed onto the cross-strut on both ends of the cantilever of a blister hook, receiving, as this occurs, a rib with a dovetail cross-section on the upper side of the housing. Hence the adapter is only suitable for use with blister hooks of a certain size and shape. For example, it is not usable with cantilevers that are shaped in a figure-of-seven configuration. Finally, the known adapter is theft-proof, as the socket-type sliders of the adapter lock themselves on the cross-strut of the cantilever when they are pushed into place and can be removed again only by means of a special tool.